The present invention pertains generally to transmissions of the type providing an infinite number of ratios between its input and output shafts.
The present transmission utilizes oscillatory arms driven by eccentrics as does a transmission disclosed in my copending U.S. patent application filed under Ser. No. 06/416,885 and entitled INFINITE SPEED TRANSMISSION WITH RECIPROCATING YOKES and which transmission included a number of unidirectional clutch assemblies which are not utilized in the present transmission.
In the known prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 3,427,888 discloses a transmission wherein a pair of gear racks drive clutch equipped gears carried by an output shaft. Rectilinear movement is imparted to the gear racks by cams the eccentricity of which may be varied to impart strokes of different lengths to the reciprocating gear racks. According to the patent disclosure, the input and output shafts of the transmission are necessarily offset. A further drawback is that the transmission does not lend itself to enclosure within a housing of practical size.
U.S. Pat. No. 546,055 discloses a steam engine having driven cams carried by a common shaft with each cam rotating in a separate yoke to impart rotation to the cam equipped output shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,936,632 discloses a device for driving the pistons of a machine such as an air compressor which utilizes eccentrics and yoke structures disposed perpendicularly to one another.
U.S Pat. No. 1,050,226 discloses the concept of a cam actuated rod coupled to a yoke on which parallel rows of gear teeth sequentially drive an output shaft via a pair of unidirectional clutches.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,459,056 discloses a transmission wherein a pair of gear racks move in rectilinear alternating fashion to drive a crank equipped output shaft.